Find the corresponding decoration and take a photo of it
Calla
Zantedeschia
If you think the calla is a flower, you are in the right place, because today you will discover that it is actually a leaf! That typical white “funnel” shape is in fact a spathe, meaning a leaf that has transformed. This is a strategy used by some plants that produce inconspicuous flowers: to attract insects, these incredible plants, just like the best copywriters today, turn their leaves into advertising billboards by changing their color or shape.
INSIGHT
The strength of leaves lies in their incredible ability to adapt to the plant’s needs; for this reason, they are among the most polymorphic plant organs, meaning they show the greatest variety of forms. If we think about cacti and the arid environments they live in, we understand that they must retain as much water as possible, so they transform their leaves into spines and modify their stems to store liquids.
A genus of plants that has transformed its leaves into traps is Nepenthes, carnivorous plants native to tropical regions. These plant predators turn their leaves into pitchers, a kind of funnel capable of attracting insects which, once inside, cannot escape and are digested.
Another incredible plant is Victoria amazonica, the strongest water lily! Its leaves can support the weight of a person. This is possible thanks to a robust network of veins that store air and allow it to float. The structure of this plant even partly inspired the design of the Crystal Palace for the first World Expo in 1851. So, if you find yourself in South America without a life jacket, remember that Victoria amazonica exists!